According to the United Nations, the only official flag of Northern Ireland is the Union Flag of the United Kingdom. Due to the division of the population along religious and political lines, a wide variety of flags can be seen flying from lamposts and private houses.

The Red Hand Flag

The Northern Ireland Flag

The St. George's cross defaced with the red hand, a six pointed star, and the crown, is the flag many foreigners associate with Northern Ireland. It does not have any official sanction since 1972.

In 1924 the Government of Northern Ireland was granted arms by Royal Warrant and had the right to display these arms on a flag or banner. This right was exercised for the Coronation in 1953. Between 1953 and 1973, the so-called "Red Hand Flag" was the arms of the Government of Northern Ireland and commonly used during this period as a de facto civil flag. It ceased to have official sanction when the Stormont Assembly was dissolved in 1972. It is based on the flag of Ulster. The yellow background became white, to more closely resemble the flag of England. The crown symbolises the loyalty of Ulster Protestants to the British Monarchy. There is a dispute as to the meaning of the star, with some maintaining it is the Star of David, and others say it represents the six counties that make up Northern Ireland.

Despite this, the flag is used extensively within the Unionist community, along with the Union Flag. The Unionist community also fly a number of modified "Red Hand" banners; versions which place the Union Flag in the Canton, and one superimposes both the red hand and the outline of a map of Northern Ireland on the Union Flag. It is regularly displayed by fans of the Northern Ireland football team, and the Ulster rugby team. The Ulster flag is also used by some fans of the Ulster rugby team.

The red hand flag is still, somewhat controversially, used to represent the region at the Commonwealth Games and UEFA competitions.

The Flag of Ulster

A red cross on a golden field (from the arms of Norman coloniser, John de Courcy), charged with a white shield and the red hand (of the native O'Neills) is a banner of arms of the historic province of Ulster.

Although Ulster and Northern Ireland are used interchangably in some press reports, Ulster forms one of the ancient provinces of the island of Ireland and consists of nine counties. Three of these now form part of the Republic of Ireland. The remaining six counties became Northern Ireland.

The Nationalist community uses this flag on occasion, but not as often as the Tricolour. It is usually displayed alongside the flags of Leinster, Munster, Connacht, or as part of the combined flag of the provinces.